Agricultural Apparatus For Collecting, Cutting and/or Processing Produce and Methods Thereof

A produce processing system comprising:

• a feed conveyor that extends between a loading end and a delivery end in a longitudinal direction, wherein the feed conveyor comprises a first belt that extends between the loading end and the delivery end of the feed conveyor in the longitudinal direction;
• a first spray assembly comprising a pump and a spray nozzle that is coupled to the feed conveyor;
• a flow sensor in fluid communication with the pump and the spray nozzle;
• a processing station, the processing station comprising:
• a housing mounted to the feed conveyor and positionable over the feed conveyor;
• and
• a mandrel assembly coupled to the feed conveyor, the mandrel assembly comprising a first rotating blade;
• an engagement sensor coupled to the housing and the feed conveyor;
• a stop switch coupled to the feed conveyor, wherein the stop switch is repositionable between an engaged position and a disengaged position;
• and
• an operator controller communicatively coupled to the flow sensor, the engagement sensor, and the stop switch, wherein the operator controller stops a rotation of the first belt based on at least one of a detection of a signal from the engagement sensor, a detected flow rate from the flow sensor, and an engagement of the stop switch.

An agricultural apparatus for collecting, cutting, and/or processing produce, the agricultural apparatus comprising:

• a feed conveyor that extends between a loading end and a delivery end in a longitudinal direction, wherein the feed conveyor comprises:
• a first belt that extends between the loading end and the delivery end of the feed conveyor in the longitudinal direction;
• and
• a second belt that extends between the loading end and the delivery end of the feed conveyor in the longitudinal direction, wherein the second belt is spaced apart from the first belt in a lateral direction;
• a processing station, the processing station comprising:
• a housing mounted to the feed conveyor;
• an axle attached to the feed conveyor;
• a first rotating blade operatively connected to the axle;
• a second rotating blade operatively connected to the axle, the second rotating blade spaced apart from the first rotating blade in the lateral direction, wherein the first rotating blade and the second rotating blade are positioned between the first belt and the second belt in the lateral direction and are at least partially encapsulated by the housing and wherein, in operation, the first rotating blade and the second rotating blade cut through produce passing from the loading end to the delivery end of the feed conveyor;
• and
• a byproduct drop-off positioned between the first rotating blade and the second rotating blade in the lateral direction;
• and
• a byproduct conveyor attached to the feed conveyor and positioned beneath the byproduct drop-off in a vertical direction.